Has former BAMMA Lightweight champion Martin Stapleton’s imminent jump to top European promotion Cage Warriors ended the hopes of a potential domestic super-fight with Brendan Loughnane?
Well according to Loughnane (13-2) a fight between himself and Stapleton (18-4) was set to go down at a future Tanko Fighting Championship event later this year.
The 27-year-old Mancunian took to Facebook to convey his surprise at the news broken by MMA Plus that “.50 Cal” was on the verge of signing a deal with the Graham Boylen lead promotion.
The fighter was seemly told that the proposed fight between himself and Stapleton – who trains out of SBG Manchester – had been agreed for a Tanko show in May, but news of the signing has put the contest into doubt.
Loughnane was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes series but was on the wrong side of a unanimous decision to fellow Brit Mike Wilkinson in the final. Ever since he has built a solid record for himself over the past four-years and is considered by many as one of the top fighters outside of the UFC.
However, Loughnane will get a chance to avenge his loss to Wilkinson, when the two meet at ACB Supersonic in Manchester on March 11.
After the All Power Gym trained fighter’s recently dealings with Cage Warriors regarding a proposed fight with Featherweight Champion Paddy Pimblett it is difficult to see how a bout between the pair can go ahead outside of CWFC. Loughnane has in the past expressed little interest in signing with the promotion.
A fight between the pair would surely be one of the biggest domestic fights of 2017 and MMA Plus will bring more news on this story as it develops.
